There are two main concepts in Carnaatic music: melody (raagam) and rhythm cycle (thaalam). In this article, we’ll blissfully ignore the complexity and stick to basic stuff, just enough to understand and appreciate the music. Other regions around the world with a high density of South Indians also usually have similar festivals.Īs with any system that’s been evolving for a couple of millennium, the rules in Carnaatic music can be pretty complex, with every rule having several exceptions, and exceptions having their own exceptions. The city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu (location) hosts a Carnaatic music festival every year from mid-December to mid-January. Today, Carnaatic music is still mainly dominant in the four southern states of India – Andhra Pradesh (pron: Aandhra Pradesh), Karnataka (pron: Karnaatakaa), Kerala (pron: Kayralaa), and Tamil Nadu (pron: Tamil Naadu) – and anywhere else in the world where lots of South Indians hang out.

At around the 14th century, the northern and southern genres were different enough to be labeled Hindustani and Carnaatic music, respectively. South India, for the most part, was on the outskirts and thus was able to maintain the original style, but did assimilate a fair amount of South Indian folk music. This resulted in the classical music in North India being heavily influenced by these. These rulers brought in their own Persian-influenced music, poetry, and other arts to India. Subsequently, most of North India came under the rule of Muslim rulers of Turkish and Afghan descent (until about 1700 CE, when the British dudes took over). Until about the 12th century CE, all of India used a single system of classical music. Indian classic music has been around now for a couple of millenniums or even longer. To be sure, the main artists are typically accompanied by other (string and/or percussion) instruments, but there are no special tracks composed for the accompaniments. That is, songs are composed as multiple tracks for multiple instruments to play together, but for a single artist (vocal or instrumental) to showcase the melody, rhythm, and mood of the song as envisioned by its composer, and to provide a venue for the artist to improvise and demonstrate his or her mastery. Your Connection to traditional and contemporary World Music, including folk, roots, global music, ethno and crosscultural fusionsĪuthor: Suresh Sri What is Carnatic Music?Ĭarnatic music is one of the two dominant genres of Indian classical music (the other one being ‘Hindustani music’ (pronounced Hindhusthaani), popularized by Ravi Shankar, Zakir Hussain, et al).Ĭarnatic music is melody-based and not symphony-based.

Carnatic music violin notes